Method for conducting vehicle-related survey

• US 8,583,318 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ross, Steven J., Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, CE LI
• Application Number:
  US11/467,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,636 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/33, 701/1, 701/29.1, 701/29.3, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/34.4
• US Class Current: 701/31.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A method for conducting a vehicle-related survey that gathers information regarding a specific area of interest from a vehicle user or vehicle hardware. In general, this method utilizes vehicle data to generate a survey having a variety of questions and instructions that are generally directed towards the area of interest. The instructions can be designed to place the vehicle into a predetermined configuration in an attempt to recreate a known vehicle problem or condition. Once the survey is generated, it is wirelessly sent from a call center or other remote facility to one or more vehicles over a wireless carrier system, and is then presented to the vehicle user. The responses provided can be stored locally, sent back to the call center for further analysis, or processed in a variety of different ways to find out more information regarding the area of interest.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a vehicle-related survey, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving vehicle data;

(b) utilizing the vehicle data to generate the vehicle-related survey for a vehicle user, wherein the survey includes at least one question;

(c) sending the vehicle-related survey to a vehicle using a vehicle telematics unit;

(d) presenting the vehicle user with the question(s) from the vehicle-related survey; and

(e) gathering at least one response that corresponds to the question(s).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data of step (a) is sent by a vehicle telematics unit to a call center over a wireless carrier system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle telematics unit automatically sends the vehicle data to the call center, and wherein the vehicle data includes at least one piece of data selected from the group consisting of:

a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), a vehicle sensor reading, an environmental sensor reading, a vehicle status report, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a vehicle location, and a vehicle maintenance history.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data of step (a) is an observation that is sent by a vehicle user to a call center.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes utilizing a computer program to automatically select the question(s) in the vehicle-related survey from a group of predetermined questions, wherein the selection is at least partially based on the vehicle data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-related survey includes a question that requires the vehicle user to make a personal observation regarding a current aspect of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-related survey of step (b) further includes at least one instruction that directs the vehicle user to manipulate an aspect of the vehicle so that information that is affected by the manipulated aspect can be gathered.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the instruction(s) is used to place the vehicle into a predetermined configuration in an attempt to re-create a known vehicle problem or condition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-related survey of step (b) further includes at least one instruction that causes the vehicle hardware to automatically manipulate an aspect of the vehicle so that information that is affected by the manipulated aspect can be gathered.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the instruction(s) is used to place the vehicle into a predetermined configuration in an attempt to re-create a known vehicle problem or condition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes establishing a trigger event whose occurrence initiates step (d), wherein the trigger event includes at least one event selected from the group consisting of:

an ignition cycle, a trigger signal, an amount of distance traveled, a date and time, a vehicle status, and receipt of a diagnostic trouble code (DTC).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes selecting the vehicle from a captured test fleet based on at least one piece of data selected from the group consisting of:

a vehicle identification number (VIN), a vehicle make and/or model, a vehicle option package, a vehicle maintenance history, and a geographic area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes utilizing a call center and a vehicle telematics unit to wirelessly send the vehicle-related survey to the vehicle over a wireless carrier system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (d) and (e) further include utilizing a human-machine interface (HMI) to:

present the vehicle user with the question(s) while the user is presently located within the vehicle, and gather the response(s) corresponding to the question(s).

15. A method for conducting an in-vehicle survey, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving vehicle data;

(b) utilizing the vehicle data to generate an in-vehicle survey, wherein the in-vehicle survey includes a plurality of questions that are generally focused on an area of interest;

(c) selecting a vehicle possessing characteristics that are relevant to the area of interest;

(d) wirelessly sending the in-vehicle survey and a trigger event to a telematics unit of the selected vehicle;

(e) presenting a vehicle user with the plurality of questions in response to the occurrence of the trigger event;

(f) gathering a plurality of responses from the vehicle user that correspond to the plurality of questions; and

(g) wirelessly sending the plurality of responses to a remote facility for analysis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle data of step (a) is automatically sent by a vehicle telematics unit to a call center over a wireless carrier system, and includes at least one piece of data selected from the group consisting of:

a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), a vehicle sensor reading, an environmental sensor reading, a vehicle status report, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a vehicle location, vehicle maintenance history, and an observation from a vehicle user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein step (b) further includes utilizing a computer program to automatically select the plurality of questions in the in-vehicle survey from a group of predetermined questions, wherein the selection is at least partially based on the vehicle data.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the in-vehicle survey of step (b) further includes at least one instruction that directs the vehicle user to manipulate an aspect of the vehicle so that information that is affected by the manipulated aspect can be gathered.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the instruction is used to place the vehicle into a predetermined configuration in an attempt to re-create a known vehicle problem or condition.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the in-vehicle survey of step (b) further includes at least one instruction that causes the vehicle hardware to automatically manipulate an aspect of the vehicle so that information that is affected by the manipulated aspect can be gathered.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the instruction is used to place the vehicle into a predetermined configuration in an attempt to re-create a known vehicle problem or condition.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

(h) utilizing the plurality of responses to develop a second, refined vehicle-related survey that is based on the responses of the first vehicle-related survey.

23. A method for conducting a vehicle-related survey comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving vehicle data provided by a vehicle user;

(b) utilizing the vehicle data to generate a vehicle-related survey, wherein the survey includes at least one question and at least one instruction that are generally focused on an area of interest;

(c) wirelessly sending the vehicle-related survey to a vehicle using a vehicle telematics unit;

(d) setting a trigger event;

(e) administering the vehicle-related survey to a vehicle user after the occurrence of the trigger event, wherein the administration of the vehicle-related survey causes the vehicle to be placed in a predetermined configuration in an attempt to re-create a known vehicle problem or condition; and

(f) collecting at least one response from the vehicle user that corresponds to the question(s).